Propeller hitch device

ABSTRACT

This device is for the purpose of retaining a boat propeller, the device being attached to the propeller shaft, by an extending shank portion embedded within a housing, the housing having on its interior a ball attached shaft riding within a bearing, the external portion of the device including a cutting disc and a rope holder.

United States Patent 1191 Trosclair 1451 Feb. 26, 1974 PROPELLER HITCH DEVICE [76] Inventor: Hayes J. Trosclair, 530 Fos Ave.,

Harvey, La. 70058 [22] Filed: Aug. 17, 1973 21 App1.No.: 389,116

[52] US. Cl 115/.5 R, 416/146, 83/902 [51] Int. Cl. B6311 [58] Field of Search416/146, 146 A; 115/.5 R, 34 R, 115/34 C; 83/902; 241/46 R, 46.11, 46.17;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,813,540 7/1931 Laska 416/146 2,820,428 11/1956 Smith 3,371,720 8/1966 Blanchard 416/146 3,619,083 11/1971 Witte 416/146 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,038,494 8 1966 Great Britain 416/146 Primary ExaminerTrygve M. B1ix Assistant Examiner-Gary L. Auton [5 7 ABSTRACT 3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEU FEBZ 6 I974 sum 1 of 2 PROPELLER HITCH DEVICE This invention relates to boat propellers and more particularly to a propeller hitch device.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a propeller hitch device which will enable salvaging the propeller after the shaft has been broken.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hitch device which will have a cutter attached thereto for the purpose of cutting through ropes and possible cable which may wrap around the propeller.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the type described which will have a rope holder attached thereto which will be shock mounted upon a cushion device positioned between the rope holder and the cutter, the holder serving to keep the rope lodged therein so that the cutter will sever the rope.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a device of the type described which will include a housing consisting of a pair of halves of semi-circular configuration which when locked together by bolt and nut fastener means will render the shank member, the ball and shaft member, and the bearing, intact.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a hitch device of the type described which will have the holder member containing an eye portion for the attachment of a chain or the like.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a propeller hitch device which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will become readily evident upon a study of the following specification together with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention which is shown partly broken away; I

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1',

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention which is shown partly broken away;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

According to this invention, a propeller hitch device 10 is shown to consist of a cylindrical housing 11 made up of a pair of semi-circular halves 110 which are of metallic construction. The faces 12 of the halves 11a are secured in abutment with each other with the openings 13 aligned. A bolt 14 is carried within each of the openings 13 and the bolts 14 receive nut fasteners 15 which secure the halves 11a to each other fixedly.

An extending and cylindrical shank 16 of housing 11 is welded or otherwise secured to the propeller shaft 16a. The shank 16 is provided with an annular flange 17 which is received within the grooves 18 through the faces 12 of halves 11a. Shank 16 further includes a rectangular projection 19 which engages with a similar shaped opening 20 defined within the two halves 11a.

It shall be noted that projection 19 within the opening 20, provides a means for enabling the shank 16 to rotate simultaneously with the housing 11 of device 10.

An opening 21 defined within halves 11a provides positioning means for a bearing 21a which is of plastic or rubber material. 0n the interior of bearing 21a is a spherical ball 22 which terminates one end of shaft 23 which is externally threaded for a purpose which hereinafter will be described.

On the shaft end of device 10, is a cutting disc 24 which is cushioned against a rubber or other type disc or bearing 25, the opposite face being in abutment with the rope holder member 26. Rope holder 26 includes a projecting extension 260 which is terminated by means of an eye portion 27 which suitably will carry a chain 28 for being fastened to the boat in various ways. The cutting disc 24 is provided with a plurality of radially and equally spaced apart cutting blades 27a for severing rope and the like. The extension 26a is provided with spikes 29 which are spaced apart so as to hold rope.

A nut fastener 30 is threaded onto the extending shaft 23, and thus secures the cushioning disc or bearing 25, the cutting disc 24 and the rope holder 26, to the device 10.

In use, the chain 28 is secured to any desired point upon a boat and when the shaft 16a is rotating, the housing 11 rotates simultaneously while the ball 22 and its attached shaft 23 remain fairly stationary. If the propeller shaft 16a breaks, the propeller may be easily retrieved with device 10. The blades 27a of cutter disc 24 are of such design so as to cut regardless of the motion of the boat whether the motion be forwards or raarwards. Since device 10 rotates with the propeller of the boat, the blade-like members 27a or disc 24 will also rotate. If the rope gets entangled with one of the propeller blades, the wheel or propeller wash will urge the remainder of the rope to the rear and the rope will lodge within the spikes 29 of the rope holder 26. When the front of the rope is still entangled within the propeller, the rearward pieces of the rope are lodged in the holder 26 and thus when device 10 and the propeller rotate, the blades 27a will sever the rope.

It shall also be noted that device 10 may be bolted to the rear of the propeller hub or even be included in the nut fastener of the propeller. A marker on the rope may be used to secure the propeller from the side of the boat.

A bouy-type of propeller recovery is also feasible. The bouy and connecting chain may be enclosed in a pipe encasement which will run between the bottom of the hull and the top deck. If the distance between device 10 and the rudder is too short, the connection may be made at an angle from the boat, so as to go directly over device 10.

Rferring to a modified from of device 31, it will be seen that the basic structure is similar to that heretofore described of the main embodiment. The shaft 23a is provided with a fixedly secured eye 32 which carries a chain 33 which has secured at its opposite end a spring 34 which is carried by rope 35.

The purpose of modified device 31 is similar to that heretofore described of the main embodiment.

What I now claim is:

l. A propeller hitch device comprising a housing having two halves, a fixed shank carried by said housing for securement means to a propeller shaft, fastening means carried by said housing for securing the housing halves together, bearing means carried within said housing providing a friction reducing means for a ball, shaft means carried by said ball, and nut means threaded onto said shaft means for securing a cutting disc, a cushion member, and a rope holder to said device.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said cutting disc includes a plurality of cutting blades for severing rope that may become entangled with the propeller shaft of a boat, a rope holding device including fastening means for a chain which is secured to a boat in order to retrieve a propeller when the shaft breaks, said rope holder including a plurality of spike members which are spaced apart so as to grippingly engage a rope so as to enable said rope to be severed by said blades of said cutter.

within said housing. 

1. A propeller hitch device comprising a housing having two halves, a fixed shank carried by said housing for securement means to a propeller shaft, fastening means carried by said housing for securing the housing halves together, bearing means carried within said housing providing a friction reducing means for a ball, shaft means carried by said ball, and nut means threaded onto said shaft means for securing a cutting disc, a cushion member, and a rope holder to said device.
 2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said cutting disc includes a plurality of cutting blades for severing rope that may become entangled with the propeller shaft of a boat, a rope holding device including fastening means for a chain which is secured to a boat in order to retrieve a propeller when the shaft breaks, said rope holder including a plurality of spike members which are spaced apart so as to grippingly engage a rope so as to enable said rope to be severed by said blades of said cutter.
 3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said bearing and said housing serve to encase said ball and thus said ball portion of said shaft is retained within said bearing of said housing and said shank attached to said propeller shaft includes flanged means carried within groove means of said housing, said flange and said groove serving to retain said shank within said housing and said shank includes rectangular projection means carried within a rectangular opening defined by the halves of said housing, said projection and said opening thus preventing rotation of said shank within said housing. 